Autofit gun holster

ABSTRACT

A peripheral arcuate pivoting surface is mounted in a holster to roll over and engage a firearm trigger guard to secure the firearm in the holster.

This invention pertains to holsters.

The motivation to provide improved gun holsters has long existed. Accordingly it is highly desirable to provide an improved gun holster.

This and other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a right side view illustrating a holster constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right side view illustrating the mode of operation of the holster of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right side view further illustrating the mode of operation of the holster of FIG. 1 in conjunction with a firearm being inserted in the holster;

FIG. 4 is a right side view further illustrating the mode of operation of the holster of FIG. 1 after a firearm is fully inserted in the holster;

FIG. 5 is a right side view illustrating the trigger guard cam system utilized in the holster of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a right side view further illustrating the trigger guard cam system of FIG. 5 and the mode of operation thereof;

FIG. 7 is a right side view further illustrating the mode of operation of the trigger guard cam system of FIG. 5; and,

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating further construction details of the trigger guard cam system of FIG. 5.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, I provide an improved holster in combination with a gun including a handle, barrel, and a trigger guard. The holster includes a spine; a first side; and, a second side opposed to the first side. The first and second sides and spine collectively form a pocket with a top and to receive the barrel with the handle extending outside the top of said pocket; are connected together along the rear of the pocket; and, are connected to the spine. The holster also includes a cam pivotally mounted in the rear of the pocket for movement between at least two operative positions, a first operative position in which the trigger guard engages and pivots the cam when the firearm is partially inserted in the holster; and, a second operative position in which the cam is pivoted a selected distance from the first operative position, contacts the trigger guard, and generates a force against the trigger guard which forces the firearm against the spine.

Turning now to the drawings, which depict the presently preferred embodiments of the invention for the purpose of illustrating the practice thereof and not by way of limitation of the scope of the invention, and in which like reference characters refer to corresponding elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate a holster constructed in accordance with the invention and including right side 15 and left side 18 (FIG. 8) each having a front portion connected to a spine 16 and a rear portion connected to the rear portion of the other side at the back 19 of the holster 10. A cam 11 is pivotally mounted at the back 19 of holster 10 intermediate sides 15 and 18 (FIG. 8).

Cam 11 includes a peripheral edge. A first portion 11A of the peripheral edge extends between points 30 and 31 through an arc. The arc is represented by arrows S in FIG. 6 and is an acute angle. The second portion 11B of the peripheral edge comprises the remainder of the peripheral edge of cam 11. The second portion 11B extends through an arc which is equivalent to an obtuse angle. The sum of this obtuse angle and the acute angle represented by arrows S is equal to three hundred and sixty degrees. The second portion 11B also extends from point 30 to point 31, just as does first portion 11A. In the practice of the invention, it is first portion 11A that ordinarily contacts the outer surface 23 (FIGS. 3, 5, 6) of trigger guard 14 to generate a force that displaces trigger guard 14 and firearm in the direction of arrow F (FIG. 6) toward the spine 16 and front of holster 10.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, cam 11 is fixedly attached to an axle including cylindrical members 24 and 25. Member 25 is pivotally mounted in left side 18. Member 24 is pivotally mounted in right side 15. Handle, or lever, 13 is fixedly attached to member 24. When handle 13 is pivoted in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1) or in the opposing direction indicated by arrow C (FIGS. 3 and 4), then members 24 and 25 and cam 11 simultaneously rotates in one of the directions indicated by arrows T. Members 24 and 25 can, if desired, be mounted in bushings which are mounted in sides 15 and 18, respectively. Cam 11, handle 13, and members 24 and 25 pivot about axis 33.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, members 24 and 25 are fixedly secured in sides 15 and 18, respectively; cam 11 is pivotally mounted on members 24 and/or 25; and handle 13 is attached to cam 11 such that when handle 13 is moved in the directions indicated by arrows A and C, handle 13 simultaneously rotates cam 11 such that it pivots about fixed members 24 and/or 25.

In FIGS. 5 to 7, arrows R1 and R2 each extend from the rotation axis 33 to surface 11A. R1 is the radius of curvature of surface 11A at point 30. R2 is the radius of curvature of surface 11A at point 31. The peripheral surface 11A extending fro point 30 to point 31 lies along a circle. Consequently arrows R1 and R2 are of equivalent length, as would be any arrow extending from axis 33 to a point on surface 11A other than points 30 and 31. If desired, the radius of curvature of surface 11A can increase from point 30 to point 31, can decrease from point 30 to point 31, or can be variable between points 30 and 31).

If the radius of curvature of surface 11A increases from point 31 to point 30, then as a gun is placed in holster 10 and contacts and rotates cam 11 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 5), the force generated by cam 11 against surface 23 in the direction of arrow F increases as cam 11 continues to rotate in the direction of arrow C to the position illustrated in FIG. 6. This assumes that (1) the top of firearm 20 is in contact with the inside of the front of the holster—i.e., behind the spine 16—when point 31 on the peripheral surface 11A initially contacts with surface 23 of trigger guard, (2) the front of the holster does not distend or stretch to compensate for an increase in force F), and (3) surface 23 is flat and is parallel to the direction of travel indicated by arrow B.

If the radius of curvature of surface 11A decreases from point 31 to point 30, then as a gun is placed in holster 10 and contacts and rotates cam 11 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 5), the force generated by cam 11 against surface 23 in the direction of arrow F decreases as cam 11 continues to rotate in the direction of arrow C to the position illustrated in FIG. 6. This assumes that (1) the top of firearm 20 is in contact with the inside of the front of the holster—i.e., behind the spine 16—when point 31 on the peripheral surface 11A initially contacts with surface 23 of trigger guard), and (2) surface 23 is flat and is parallel to the direction of travel indicated by arrow B.

After, at the time a firearm 20 is being inserted in a holster 10, surface 23 of trigger guard 14 initially contacts surface 11A of cam 11, it is desirable (1) for surface 11A continuously to contact and press against surface 23 and to roll over surface 23, (2) for cam 11 surface 11A continuously to roll over and press against surface 23 until the firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 10, and (3) for cam 11 to continue to press against surface 23 after firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 10. This helps to insure that firearm 20 will, when inserted in holster 10, rotate cam 11 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 5); and, will, when withdrawn from holster, rotate cam 11 in the direction indicated by arrow A (FIG. 1).

Three principal operative positions of cam 11 are further described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

The first stowed operative position of cam 11 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7. Handle 13 is located at about a “10 o'clock” position pointing upwardly. As can be seen in FIG. 7, when cam 11 is in the stowed position, peripheral surface 11B is spaced apart from and does not contact trigger guard 14. When cam 11 is in the stowed operative position, firearm 20 is inserted in and removed from holster 10 without contacting cam 11.

The second deployed operative position of cam 11 is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5. Handle 13 is located in a vertically oriented a “6 o'clock” position pointing downwardly. In FIG. 5, a firearm 20 has been partially inserted in a holster 10 and surface 23 of trigger guard 14 has initially contacted at pont 31 surface 11A of cam 11. In one embodiment of the invention, a stop pin 40 (FIG. 5) is mounted in side 15 of holster 10 so that when handle 13 (and cam 11) are pivoted in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1), handle 13 can not be moved in the direction of arrow A past the position illustrated in FIG. 5 because peripheral surface 11B contacts pin 40.

The third rolled operative position of cam 11 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6. Handle 13 is canted in about a “7 o'clock” position pointing downwardly. In FIG. 6, a firearm 20 has been fully inserted in a holster 10 and surface 11A of cam 11 has rolled over surface 23 to pivot cam 11 from the position illustrated in FIG. 5 to the position illustrated in FIG. 6.

In operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 7, a user positions cam 11 in the first stowed operative position of FIG. 1 when the holster 10 is not being utilized to store a firearm 20. Just prior to inserting firearm 20 in holster 10, the user pivots handle 13 in the direction of arrow A to the deployed operative position of FIG. 5. When firearm 20 is partially inserted in holster 10 in the direction of arrow B, surface 23 initially contacts peripheral surface 11A at point 31 (FIG. 5). After surface 23 initially contacts surface 11A, the user completes the insertion of firearm 20 in holster 10 in the direction of arrow B until the firearm is fully inserted in holster 10. During this completion of the inserted of firearm 20, surface 23 maintains contact with peripheral surface 11A of cam 11 such that surface 11A rolls over surface 23 and cam 11 is rotated in the direction of arrow C from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6. Removal of firearm 20 from holster 10 is accomplished using the reverse procedure. Alternatively, before firearm 20 is removed from holster 10, handle 13 can be displaced in the direction of arrow C from the operative position of FIG. 6 to the stowed operative position of FIG. 7 to fully disengage cam 11 from surface 23 of trigger guard 14.

An unexpected and unpredicted benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that the cam 11 can facilitate using a holster 10 to store firearms of differing size.

Another unexpected and unpredicted benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that the cam 11 can facilitate snugly storing a firearm 20 in holster fabricated from holsters of differing quality.

A further unanticipated benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that while cam 11 can be utilized to store a firearm 20 in a holster 10, the cam 11 can be placed in a stowed position to permit a firearm 20 to be inserted in and removed from the holster 10 without employing cam 11.

Still another unexpected and unpredicted benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that a rolling surface 11A can be effectively employed in securing a firearm 20 in a holster 10.

Still a further unexpected benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that an outer surface 23 of a trigger guard 14 can be utilized to secure a firearm 20 in a holster 10.

Yet still another unexpected and unpredicted benefit discovered after the invention was developed is that a cam 11 pivotally mounted at the back of a holster can be employed to secure a firearm 20 in a holster.

In FIGS. 3 to 7, surface 23 of trigger guard 14 is parallel to the direction of travel, indicated by arrow B, of firearm 20 into holster 10. As would be appreciated by those of skill in the art, of surface 23 is canted with respect to the direction of travel indicated by arrow B, then the radius of curvature along the length of surface 11A can be adjusted appropriate such that, after the initial contact of surface 11A with surface 23, surface 11A maintains contact with surface 23 while firearm 20 continues to be inserted in holster 10. In FIG. 6, handle 13 is so canted with respect to the direction of travel indicated by arrow B.

Similarly, if surface 23 of trigger guard 14 is not planar (flat), but is arcuate, then the radius of curvature along surface 11A can be suitably varied to maintain contact with surface 23 as desired while firearm 20 is inserted in holster 10. As used herein, if surface 23 were arcuate in FIG. 5, it would curve about an axis which is normal to the plane of the paper of the drawing of FIG. 3. For example, in FIG. 5, peripheral surfaces 11A and 11B each curve about an axis which is normal to the plane of paper of the drawing of FIG. 3.

A bicycle can be turned upside down such that its seat and handlebars rest on the ground and the wheels and spaced away from and extend upwardly away from the ground. When the bicycle is in this “upside-down” orientation, the front wheel of the bicycle “free wheels”, i.e., the front wheel readily rotates about its axle after only a de minimus amount of rotational force is applied to the front wheel.

A Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

In one preferred embodiment of the holster of the invention, the cam 11 is mounted in holster 17 such that cam 11 does not free wheel in holster 17. There is frictional resistance between cam 11 and holster 17 (or between cam 11 and the axle on which cam 11 is mounted). This frictional resistance prevents cam 11 from free wheeling. Cam 11 can be manually pivoted in the directions indicated by arrows A (FIG. 1) and C (FIG. 3), but it does not free wheel. Further, in this preferred embodiment of the invention, the radius of curvature of cam 11 increases from point 30 to point 31, such that when cam 11 is in the operative position illustrated in FIG. 5, trigger guard 23 will, when inserted in a holster, contact cam 11 at its greatest (or at one of its greatest) radii of curvature. Further, when cam 11 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 5 and firearm 20 is inserted in holster 17, trigger guard 23 initially contacts cam 11 at point 31 and, while firearm 20 continues to be inserted in holster 17, causes cam 11 to rotate in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 5). As cam 11 rotates in the direction of arrow C, the force generated against trigger guard 14 and firearm 20 in the direction of arrow F decreases because the radius of curvature of the cam is decreasing.

In a primary version of this preferred embodiment of the invention, after trigger guard 23 initially contacts cam 11 at point 31 while firearm 20 is being inserted in holster 17, trigger guard 23 continues to contact cam 11 and rotate cam 11 in the direction of arrow C until firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 17. Accordingly, in the primary version of the preferred embodiment, cam 11 continues to rotate and to roll over trigger guard 23 up until firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 17.

In a secondary version of this preferred embodiment of the invention, after trigger guard 23 initially contacts cam 11 at point 31 while firearm 20 is being inserted in holster 17, trigger guard 23 contacts and rotates cam 11 in the direction of arrow C; however, this rotation of cam 11 in the direction of arrow C ceases prior to the firearm being fully inserted in holster 17. Frictional forces between cam 11 and holster 17 cause cam 11 to discontinue its rotation in the direction of arrow C, and trigger guard 23 slides over stationary cam 11 until the firearm 20 is fully inserted in the holster.

In both the primary and secondary versions of this preferred embodiment of the invention, after the firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 17, cam 11 continues to maintain firearm 20 securely in holster 17. Cam 11 can, if desired, be sized to continue to produce (after firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 17) a force F (FIG. 6) which acts to maintain the top of firearm 20 against the inner surface of the spine 16 of the holster.

In addition, in both the primary and secondary versions of this preferred embodiment of the invention, after the firearm 20 is fully inserted in holster 17, firearm 20 can be removed from holster 17 and then reinserted in holster 17 without causing cam 11 to rotate in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1) or arrow C (FIG. 5). Cam 11 remains stationary. Trigger guard 23 slides over the stationary cam 11 when the firearm 20 is removed from and reinserted in holster 17. As a result, an important virtue of this preferred embodiment of the invention (in both the primary and secondary versions) is that once cam 11 is “set” to the initial operative position illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, initially inserting firearm 20 in holster 17 causes trigger guard 23 to rotate automatically cam 11 in the direction of arrow C through an arc to a second “fixed” operative position in which cam 11 maintains firearm 20 snuggly in holster 17 while still permitting firearm 20 to be removed from and reinserted in holster 17 without causing cam 11 to rotate in the direction of arrow A or the direction of arrow C; when cam 11 is in a “fixed” position like that illustrated in FIG. 6, trigger guard 23 slides over cam 11 when firearm 20 is removed from and reinserted in holster 17. The configuration of cam 11 is of importance in achieving with trigger guard 23 such an automatic functioning or positioning of cam 11. In particular, while it is, as noted, important for cam 11 not to free wheel and for (instead) the interface between cam 11 and holster 17 to produce frictional resistance and “drag” on cam 11 when it rotates in the directions indicated by arrows A and C, if cam 11 is constructed of a relatively soft elastic rubber which undergoes a significant elastic deformation when trigger guard initially contacts cam 11 during insertion of firearm 20 in holster 17, such an elastic deformation can produce undesirable excessive frictional resistance between cam 11 and holster 17 and can cause cam 11 to bind with holster 17 or with the axle on which cam is mounted and can, consequently, prevent cam 11 from rotating in the direction of arrow C. Such binding is not desired in the practice of the invention. In this respect, a cam 11 is presently preferred which may have some elastic resilience (i.e., which may deform slightly when trigger guard 23 initially contacts cam 11 at point 31 in FIG. 5) but which is substantially rigid. A cam 11 constructed from a substantially rigid polypropylene polymer is presently preferred. While it may be possible to construct an acceptable cam from stainless steel or another metal, such is not presently preferred because such metal has basically no elasticity. Some elasticity is presently preferred in the material used to construct a cam 11. In a similar vein, the portion of the exterior surface of cam 11 which contacts trigger guard 23 should not be excessively “sticky” and adhere to trigger guard 23; otherwise, when firearm 20 is removed from holster 17, trigger guard 23 will rotate cam 11 in the direction of arrow A (FIG. 1). 

1. In combination with a firearm including a handle, barrel, and a trigger guard, a holster including (a) a spine; (b) a first side; (c) a second side opposed to said first side, said first and second sides and said spine (i) collectively forming a pocket with a top and receiving the barrel with the handle extending outside said top of said pocket, (ii) connected together along the rear of said pocket, (iii) connected to said spine,; (d) a cam pivotally mounted in said rear of said pocket for movement between at least two operative positions, (i) a first operative position in which said trigger guard engages and pivots said cam when said firearm is partially inserted in said holster; and, (ii) a second operative position in which said cam is pivoted a selected distance from said first operative position, contacts said trigger guard, and generates a force against said trigger guard which forces the firearm against said spine. 